La famiglia della giungla

I am writing in defense of the best animated show on TV-Nickelodeon's "The Wild Thornberrys"-which was mercilessly slammed in two recent User Comments, one of which deemed the show "unappealing and ignorant."

I couldn't disagree more.

I discovered "Thornberrys" in May, 2001, and am now totally, hopelessly hooked! If the show has one main theme it is the proper relationship between humans and nature, a theme explored in each episode through the bespectacled, 12-year-old eyes of Eliza Thornberry, the only human, out of six billion, who can talk to animals (including her best friend, a chimpanzee) just as easily as she can to her own parents or sister. As for the animals, I think that the show's producers go out of their way to present as realistic a portrayal as possible of the many different species featured on the show. For example, one episode featured a pair of Tasmanian devils who did not-repeat, did NOT-speak in gibberish or travel in a cyclonic motion, slicing through everything in their path. Th-th-th-that's right, folks; Looney Tunes got it wrong.

Apart from the animals, what I like most about "The Wild Thornberrys" is the family-comedy aspect of the show. The Thornberrys are, after all, a quirky but close-knit family, with two loving-though occasionally frazzled-parents, two perpetually squabbling siblings (I swear that Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo, while developing the show, must have secretly researched my own sisters, who drove each other crazy until my older sister went away to college!), and a "wild boy" foster child. As family shows go, "Thornberrys" is light-years better than the show it used to precede on Nick's prime-time schedule, "The Brady Bunch." In conclusion, to make a long story short, "The Wild Thornberrys" rocks!

"The Wild Thornberrys" is far and away one of the greatest projects on television today. Thunderous applause for all concerned. Extreme talent. Marvelous writers. Brilliantly casted. Such a refreshing change from the mindlessness of most of television. I cannot praise this show enough, so I'll stop trying. Bye.

This show is very good, much better than ChalkZone at any rate. I have 6 of the episodes on DVD, and all of them are really funny and educational, and I also remember catching it everyday after school and being fascinated by the different animals and locations. That is still the case now. The animation is colourful, and I wish you would stop associating people as beautiful, and making personal remarks about the characters' appearances. remember, true beauty comes from within. Eliza is a kid who talks to animals, which is a retread of Doctor Dolittle, but still original. A misunderstood character, she does have moments of idiocy but her heart is in the right place. Darwin is hilarious,and he and Eliza at times are a great double act. Debbie is wonderfully voiced by Danielle Harris, and is seen as a typical teenager, pretty, funny and sometimes grumpy. Debbie is a great teenage representation. The parents add a lot to the show, especially Nigel, who has some of the funniest lines of the whole show, and if you have the wonderful Tim Curry on board you can never go wrong. You would really like The Wild Thornberrys, if only you'd give it a chance. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Like (too few!) others I am amazed at the negative views people have of the Thornberrys. Whilst I have never thought of Eliza as a b*tch I suppose if you view The Wild Thornberrys in a bad light then she could be seen as such. Having said that she is the opposite of most kid protagonists in that she is ugly and geeky looking - yet wins through.

I have not seen most of the other cartoons mentioned (Butt Ugly Martians, Rocco?, etc.) so can't compare with them. However, compared with most of the cr*p which is on TV for kids, T.W.T. is LOADS better, with lots of witty one-liners and good characterization. Nigel's genuine English accent (Tim Curry is er, English, no?) and amusing comments are excellent. Debbie is also amusing as a stereo typed teenager, and I think Darwin is excellent. As a tiny morsel to balance things out, Donnie is an irritating little br*t (doing it myself now) although occasionally amusing.

The Wild Thornberrys Rule! From the depths of the Congo learning from grumpy gorillas, to befriending Kenyan elephants to talking to polar bears! Taming Australian dingoes! Meeting strong jaguars! escaping from lions in quicksand, and defending a giant hippo from poachers Eliza Thornberry her brother raised in the rainforest in Asia and Darwin her stray chimpanzee rule. I like the idea of living in an RV traveling global wild hotsptots and seeing Egypt's vast deserts and tombs meeting animals to learn from, explore with, and help with her power to talk to animals and her occasional cousin TYler. African giraffes, antelopes, and bright zebra sightings, being helpful to hyenas, and being lazy with Russian beavers is wonderful. Imagine if you could be a Thornberry for a week.